Days passed faster than I thought. The whole town was now buzzing with excitement. Posters about the treasure hunt were everywhere — on walls, poles, and even shop windows. Everyone talked about it, from kids playing on the street to the shopkeepers standing at their doors.
It was finally the big day — the day the treasure hunt would begin.
The morning sky was clear, with sunlight reflecting off the leftover snow. I could already hear loud voices and cheers from the town square as I walked out of my house.
When I reached there, I saw a huge crowd gathered near the town hall. Flags and signs fluttered in the wind. People from nearby towns had arrived too, all dressed differently, some in groups, others alone. You could tell by their faces that they were serious — and ready.
Chakshu waved at me from the crowd. "Over here, Magic!"
I made my way through the people and joined him, Palash, and Living. They all looked tense, even Chakshu who was usually joking around.
Palash looked around the crowd. "So many people… I didn't think it would be this big."
Living nodded slowly. "Yeah. He was right — there really are teams."
"Do you think that guy is here too?" Chakshu asked quietly.
I shrugged. "Maybe. Or maybe he's watching from somewhere."
Before we could talk more, a loud speaker turned on near the stage. The mayor of the town stepped up to the microphone, his voice echoing through the square.
"Welcome, everyone! Today marks the beginning of the Grand Treasure Hunt!" he announced. The crowd cheered loudly. "This event is not only a test of skill and courage, but also of teamwork and spirit. Remember, the treasure is hidden deep in the northern region, beyond the forest. Follow the clues carefully, and the one who reaches it first will claim it!"
Chakshu whispered to me, "So it's really happening…"
The mayor continued, "You can form groups or go alone. The only rule is simple — no violence. Play fair, and may the best team win!"
The crowd clapped again, but I noticed some faces that didn't look cheerful — some people were serious, almost cold, their eyes scanning everyone like they were already planning their moves.
Living noticed too. "He said no violence, but that doesn't mean everyone will listen," he said quietly.
I nodded. "We should stay close, no matter what."
A bell rang loudly, and the mayor shouted, "The treasure hunt begins now!"
The crowd burst into motion — people running in all directions, maps in hand, shouting clues and plans.
Chakshu smiled a little. "Well, here we go!"
Palash sighed but smiled faintly. "Let's hope we don't regret this."
We started moving too, heading north toward the forest — the same direction where everything had started for us.
We hadn't even reached the edge of the forest when something strange happened. I had the half map folded safely inside my jacket pocket, but suddenly I felt warmth — not from my body, but from the map itself.
At first, I thought it was just the sunlight hitting my jacket, but then it got hotter. I quickly took it out, and my eyes widened.
The edges of the paper were glowing faintly, a dull orange light running across the lines like fire crawling through wood.
"Uh… guys," I said, staring at it. "Something's happening to the map."
Chakshu turned around. "What do you mean something's happening—" he stopped mid-sentence when he saw it. "Oh, no way! Is it… burning!?"
The light spread faster, and within seconds, small flames appeared at the corners. I tried to blow on it, but it didn't stop — the fire wasn't normal. It didn't burn like paper should. It glowed silently, turning the whole map into ash without smoke or smell.
"Put it out!" Palash shouted, grabbing snow from the ground and throwing it on the map, but it didn't work. The flames just faded on their own, leaving nothing but a few black ashes that disappeared in the wind.
For a moment, no one spoke. We all just stared at my empty hands.
Living's voice was quiet. "It's gone…"
Chakshu blinked. "WHAT…? it burnt itself?"
I looked down at the faint black marks on my fingers. "I don't know. Maybe it was meant to destroy itself once the hunt started."
Palash shocked, "How in the hell!?"
Living looked around the forest, his expression tense. "If it was connected to something, maybe it reacted when the event began."
Chakshu sighed. "So now we're in a treasure hunt… with no map."
I took a deep breath. "Not exactly. I still remember the markings... the curve of the mountain, the river path. I drew it so many times, I can picture it in my head."
Palash looked at me. "Then we still have a chance."
Chakshu smirked. "Alright then, human compass, lead the way."
Living stayed quiet but gave a small nod. "Let's go before others get too far ahead."
As we entered the forest again, the air felt heavier. The trees seemed taller, and a strange silence hung around us.
As we went deeper and deeper into the forest, the air grew colder. The trees stood close together, blocking most of the sunlight. The deeper we went, the quieter everything became — no birds, no wind, just the sound of our footsteps crunching against the snow and fallen leaves.
Then, a scream broke the silence.
It was sharp and filled with pain.
We froze for a second, looking at each other. Chakshu whispered, "That… didn't sound normal."
Living nodded slowly. "It came from that side." He pointed toward a narrow path covered in branches.
We moved carefully through the trees, following the sound. My heart was beating fast — the closer we got, the clearer the noises became. There were voices, harsh and angry, and another cry followed.
When we finally reached a small clearing, the sight made my stomach twist.
Two people were on the ground — both covered in dirt and bruises. Around them stood six men, armed with metal rods and sticks. Their faces were half-covered with scarves, and their jackets had the same strange mark — a triangle with a line through it.
They were shouting at the two people on the ground."Where's your map piece!?" one of them yelled.Another kicked the man lying down. "Talk! We know you have it!"
Chakshu whispered beside me, his voice shaky. "What the hell is this…?"
Palash's eyes narrowed. "Teams, remember? He warned us. It's already starting."
Living looked sick. "They're hurting them… for clues."
One of the beaten people tried to crawl away, but one of the armed men grabbed him by the collar and pushed him back down. "If you don't tell us, you'll regret it!"
I clenched my fists. "We have to stop this."
Palash grabbed my arm. "Wait. There are six of them, Magic. We can't rush in blindly."
He was right, but watching those two people get beaten made it hard to stand still. I took a deep breath, trying to think fast.
Chakshu whispered, "Maybe we can distract them — make a sound from the other side."
I nodded slightly. "Alright. But we need to move now before they—"
Before I could finish, one of the armed men turned his head sharply, looking toward the trees — toward us.
He shouted, "Someone's there!"
We froze.
The others instantly turned in our direction.
"Run!" Palash yelled.
And just like that, the quiet forest exploded into chaos!
We ran as fast as we could through the forest. Branches scratched our arms, and snow kicked up behind our feet. The sound of shouting and heavy footsteps followed us — the six men were chasing us now.
"Keep going!" Palash yelled. "Don't stop!"
I glanced back for a second and saw them getting closer, their sticks and metal rods flashing between the trees. My heart was pounding like crazy.
We split up without meaning to — the forest paths twisted and turned, and in all the panic, I lost sight of everyone. I could still hear Chakshu shouting my name somewhere behind me, but his voice faded fast.
I turned left, jumping over a fallen log, but the ground was slippery. I stumbled, hit my knee, and fell hard onto the snow.
For a moment, I just lay there, breathing heavily, trying to listen. The shouting had stopped. Only the sound of wind remained.
"Chakshu?" I called out, but no one answered.
I pushed myself up slowly and looked around. Everything looked the same — trees, fog, and endless white ground. I had no idea where I was.
I started walking, hoping to find some mark or trail, but instead, something strange caught my eye.
Near a large stone wall covered with vines, part of the snow had melted away, revealing a dark opening — small and hidden between rocks. It looked like a cave.
Curious and desperate for shelter, I stepped closer. The air near the opening felt cold, but not like normal cold. It was sharp and dry, like the air was being pulled inside.
I crouched and looked in. The cave went deep, twisting into darkness. I couldn't see much, but faint markings were carved on the stone walls near the entrance — circles, lines, and what looked like an ancient symbol, half-buried under ice.
"This… can't be normal," I whispered.
I looked around one last time. The forest was silent. Whoever was chasing us hadn't caught up yet.
So, with a deep breath, I stepped inside.
The moment I entered, a strange feeling ran through me — like a low vibration under the ground. The air felt heavy, almost alive. I took another step, my eyes adjusting to the dim light.
Deeper inside, something faint was glowing — a soft golden light coming from the far wall.
Time passed slowly inside the cave. I had no idea how long I'd been there. The glow from the far wall had faded, and the air had grown colder. I tried to step out a few times, but the forest outside was dark, and the snowstorm had returned.
It was already night now. The sound of wind howling through the trees echoed faintly inside, making the cave feel even emptier.
I sat down on a flat rock near the entrance, hugging my knees to stay warm. My hands were freezing, and every few minutes I looked at the cave opening, hoping to see a light or shadow — something.
"I should've stayed close to them…" I muttered quietly.
The silence was loud. Only the crackling sound of ice dripping from the ceiling broke it. My thoughts kept going back to Chakshu, Palash, and Living — were they okay? Did the armed men catch them?
I tried not to think about it, but it was hard. I was tired, cold, and completely lost.
Just when I started to close my eyes for a bit, I heard something faint — a voice.
"Magic!"
My heart jumped. I stood up quickly and listened again. The sound echoed faintly through the trees outside.
"Magic! Are you there!?"
It was Chakshu's voice.
"Here! I'm here!" I shouted back, my voice cracking from the cold air.
A few seconds later, I heard running footsteps. I rushed out of the cave, brushing the snow off my jacket, and saw faint lights moving through the trees — flashlights.
Chakshu and Palash came running toward me, out of breath. Living followed behind them, quiet as usual.
Chakshu looked half worried, half relieved. "Man, we thought you were gone!"
Palash gave a small smirk. "You always find weird places to hide, don't you?"
I smiled weakly. "Yeah, guess I do. I found something inside though… a strange glow, some symbols on the walls."
Chakshu's eyes widened. "Symbols? Like what kind?"
I looked back at the cave entrance. "I don't know... But something about this cave feels… strange..."
The four of us stood there in the cold night, staring at the dark cave. The wind howled around us, and somewhere deep inside, that faint golden light began to glow again — just a little.
We decided to check the cave together. Chakshu handed me a small flashlight he had in his bag, and the four of us slowly walked inside. The cave was quiet, and every step we took made a soft echo. The walls were covered with old markings and scratches that looked hand-carved. Some were circles, others looked like strange letters none of us could read.
"This place gives me chills," Chakshu whispered.
Palash looked around, shining his light across the walls. "It's like someone lived here long ago."
Living stayed silent, as usual, his eyes moving carefully across every corner. We kept walking until we reached the spot where I had seen the faint golden light earlier. It wasn't glowing now, but the air still felt strange there — heavier somehow.
I pointed at the wall. "It was right here. Something was shining earlier."
Chakshu walked closer, touching the wall lightly. "It's just rock…"
Then Living suddenly stopped. He was staring at the ground near one corner of the cave, where a pile of small rocks and soil had gathered. "Wait," he said quietly, kneeling down. "There's something under here."
We all rushed to him. I bent down beside him and used my hands to brush off some of the dirt, but it was packed tightly. So, I opened my backpack and pulled out a small shovel that I usually carried for sketching trips.
"Move back a bit," I said.
They stepped aside while I started digging carefully. The sound of the shovel hitting rock echoed across the cave. After a few minutes, I felt something solid beneath the soil — smoother than stone.
I cleared more of the dirt, and slowly a shape started to appear. Chakshu knelt beside me, his eyes wide. "Dude… that looks like a door."
He was right.
Buried under all the dust and rocks was a strange flat surface — like a door made of dark stone. It was rectangular, almost the size of a small table, and had lines carved all over it.
We cleaned the rest of the area together, and when the whole thing was visible, we noticed something even stranger — there were seven small keyholes across the center, each with a different symbol carved above it.
Palash whistled softly. "A door with seven locks… Now this is getting interesting."
Chakshu squatted down, looking closely at one of the keyholes. "What kind of keys even fit in these? They don't look normal."
Living ran his fingers over the carvings above the holes. "Each one has a different mark," he said quietly. "Maybe each symbol means something."
I stared at it for a while, the beam from my flashlight shaking slightly in my hand. "So this is what the map was leading to… But where do we even find the keys?"
No one had an answer.
The wind outside whistled through the cave, and for a moment, everything was silent again.
Then Chakshu broke the silence with a half-smile. "Guess the real hunt starts now..."